How to Prune the Tulip Magnolia

Tulip trees bloom in late winter and early spring.

The tulip magnolia (Magnolia x soulangeana) is a small, deciduous, multi-trunked tree or large shrub growing up to 25 feet tall with an equal spread. Common names are saucer magnolia and tulip tree, which is descriptive of the goblet-shaped flowers of rose-pink flushed with violet-purple, fading to white, especially on the inside of the blossoms of the species. Tulip magnolia grows best in full sun or partial shade in U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zones 5 to 9. Prune lightly to maintain a natural shape, or train tulip magnolia's long, slender branches into an espalier.

Shaping

1

Remove wayward branches, branches that cross or dead wood in late winter or late summer. Avoid pruning tulip magnolia when the sap is running freely.

2

Take out branches at the base with pruning loppers, making the cut just outside the branch collar, which is where the branch grows out from the tree. Cutting into the branch collar damages the trunk.

3

Saw larger branches off with a pruning saw using a three-step process, making the first cut from underneath the branch approximately 1 foot from the base of the branch being removed, and the second cut on top of the branch, severing the limb. Make the third cut just outside the branch collar, removing the stub.

Espalier

1

Select a site for your espaliered tulip magnolia against a large, open background, such as a wall or fence. A plant trained as an espalier is essentially a flat plane with only two dimensions, width and height. The depth of the plant is minimal. Espaliers are used where space is limited or a focal point is desired on a large, flat surface.

2

Design a pattern for your espalier by drawing a graph on paper, or purchase a ready-made trellis.

3

Install your espalier trellis approximately 6 inches from the wall or fence, or work your design on the wall through the installation of eye bolts, U-bolts, or eye screws, and string 12- or 15-gauge wire between the hardware. Bamboo poles fastened together also work well as espalier forms.

4

Plant a 1-gallon-size tulip magnolia 10 inches from the wall or fence, following general planting guidelines for this plant -- moist, organic, well-drained acid soil in full sun or partial shade.

5

Attach branches to the wires or trellis with twist ties as the tree grows. Young branches of tulip magnolia are very pliable, making it possible to train them to form.

6

Trim off branches and twigs that do not fit the pattern in late winter or late summer.

7

Tip prune branches after they reach their desired length.

8

Check twist ties on the espalier twice during the growing season, and loosen ties if they are tight to avoid having a branch girdled.

About the Author

For Judy Kilpatrick, gardening is the best mental health therapy of all. Combining her interests in both of these fields, Kilpatrick is a professional flower grower and a practicing, licensed mental health therapist. A graduate of East Carolina University, Kilpatrick writes for national and regional publications.